Scarred Orders
by otahotian
Summary: 4th in the Green Line. Follows after Pranking the Prankster. "-Wasn't it.. educational? Iruka asks seriously. -What was.. educational about it? she responds. -Shouldn't Hokage know how is it to be his subordinate? -I never wanted to know how is it to be Gai. Tsunade points out."
1. Chapter 1

**Well, hello :)**

**Another story, another game. As I said/wrote before, I write to get better at English, so if you spot any mistake, or phrasis you wouldn't use, let me know, please. I would greatly appreaciate it.. **

**Anyway, for the story:**

**place: Konoha and wilderness  
><span>Characters<span>: Iruka, Genma, Izumo, Kotetsu; Tsunade, lots of ANBU  
><span>mood<span>: scared, stubborn, social  
><strong>**time: little time after Tsunade coming to Konoha  
><span>context<span>: after the prank of Gai (mentioned in - no need to read _that_, however :P )  
><span>annotation<span>: being punished by Tsunade for his prank Iruka gets ready for a mission. A mistake on a part of bureaucracy leaves him fearing his own life. And the mission sounds like a good excuse to leave the village before the situation calms itself.. Such a shame he has to be accompanied by the number one curious and irritating jounin on his travel.**

* * *

><p>"Baaka!" a high voice shouts, slightly startling the two ANBU guards standing in front of the door to Hokage's chambers.<p>

Guard Kumo looks left and raises an eyebrow – the gesture left invisible to the second guard due to the mask. Guard Uma grinns back in answer.

Looks like invisible things doesn't necessary have to be unnoticed.

Kumo raises an arm slightly tapping the porcelain mask curling gloved fingers of the other arm in a gesture resembling claws. Uma tittles head and repeat the gesture of the other ANBU.

"What the HELL did you think?" another shout makes them ungracefully jump to the air leaving them both wondering if someone has passed by them without them noticing.

Highly unlikely.

"A window.." Uma whispers revealing his gender as male – his voice rough from being silent for quite some time and soft so that Kumo will be the only one to hear.

Kumo nods.

"I doubt you were thinking at _all_." fake-calmly said sentence is next.

"Anno.. Hokage-sama.." the ANBU look at each other after hearing one _male _voice leaving the chamber.

"That's it. I am going in." Uma says looking determined. Kumo shrugs as if to say 'do whatever floats your boat' before taking the position right in front of the wooden door.

* * *

><p>Strategy.<p>

Two guards – if they don't have kekkei-genkai of fighting joined by the hip – will take the formation on both sides when guarding the door. Stronger one on the side the door is opening to – that means on the right, here.

If one guard, he shall stand right in front of, so that his dead body would still make it more difficult for the assaulter to reach his target.

In both situations – the guard is facing the corridor, of course. Standing towards the door would probably give him time of his live watching the wood-worms.

Strategy... _is stupid_. Thinks the Kumo masked guard. It won't change a thing which way Kumo is facing.

* * *

><p>Uma is still standing there, his gloved hand touching the light wood, looking troubled.<p>

_Hurry up you fool, or else I will stuck the senbon of yours somewhere where sun doesn't shine._

"Don't '_Hokage-sama_' me!" the lady cruelly imitates the voice in a high pitch. Uma snickers. "I want an explanation, and _good_ one at that, or you all will be on D-missions until your pet-flower is a jounin!"

The Kumo guard kicks lightly the other ANBU getting an angry glare as an answer. However, Uma finally raise his hand feeling the handle and bursting top-speed into the chamber.

_I don't really thing they are enemies, but.._ the ANBU thinks to himself, halting right in front of the Hokage, facing her guests – three men, three chuunin.

They all have the same expression of amused surprise on their faces and Uma feels like face palming for even considering them a threat.

_Umino Iruka, Hagane Kotetsu, Kamizuki Izumo._ Uma scans them letting out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

"Uma... what the.." The Hokage slowly stands up leaning on her arms her face of a pure fury.

"Hokage-sama." Uma greets calmly, wondering how the scene turned being about him, and how much screwed it was.

ANBU should be invisible.

"Uma." Hokage repeats herself and the warrior gulps suddenly wishing for his captain to be the one who has entered. "What the _hell_ are you doing here?"

Uma forcefully holds himself from shrugging – that would be going against the _rules_.

He sighs inwardly as he turns around to face his leader, the last thing catching his eyes being Iruka's openly amused expression.

_He acts as if he knows who I am.. Or as if he knows _what_'s going to happen now._ Uma thinks to himself as he mentally prepares for the _speech_.

"Uma heard his Hokage-sama talking to someone and heard a voice not belonging to her, so he decided to check on his leader to see if everything is alright." he says, his voice forcedly unemotional. Oh, how he _hates_ talking like a badly-programed robot.

That's the reason why he always waits to give his ANBU reports until after his shift ends. It's against the _rules_ to talk as a human being.

_After all, ANBU aren't human beings. _Uma says to himself bitterly.

"Ugh.. I see." the lady Hokage says watching him with something akin to disgust. Uma sighs. She doesn't like ANBU. And she probably doesn't even know that they _have _to talk like that.

"Shall Uma leave his mighty leader alone?" he asks, his voice bored with a hint of sarcasm.

"Yeah, yeah, just leave." she waves her hand to dismiss him and Uma curtly bows before leaving.

"Shall we leave as well, to let our mighty leader have her beauty rest?" Kotetsu asks innocently while Iruka tries to overcome his laughing fit and Izumo stands there looking as if he doesn't even want to _know _them.

"HAGANE!" the lady shouts on him, sending Iruka into new fit of laughter.

"Yes, oh-mighty leader?" he asks innocently.

"Kamizuki – out. You are dismissed." Izumo blinks before looking worriedly at his two friends. Iruka grins at him secretly and Kotetsu sticks out his tongue. The shortest chuunin shrugs before leaving and closing the door behind him.

He waves on the two ANBU members and watches with amusement as both waves back.

* * *

><p>"Nooow..." the lady stretches the word to add an evil edge to her voice.<p>

Kotetsu titles his head as if to urge her to continue.

"Care to elaborate why did you feel the need to create such a chaos?" she asks sweetly leaning on her elbows.

"Well.." the academy teacher starts hesitantly, forcing all hints of his amusement to disappear. "Wasn't it.. _educational_?" he asks seriously in a tone slightly hinting he was insane.

The Hokage watches him for a moment before sighing. It was difficult to be angry when he sounds so serious. He sounds as if he means it.

"What was.. educational about it?" she asks carefully, her light blue eyes never leaving the long-haired chuunin.

"Shouldn't Hokage know how is it to be his subordinate?"

_ His. Not 'her' or anything. _"I never wanted to know how is it to be Gai." she points out, her anger back.

The two culprits exchange amused looks before looking down in an expression of guilt.

Not like the Hokage believes them.

"We are terribly sorry, Tsunade-sama." Iruka says in a quiet voice without looking up. Tsunade feels her body shaking a bit at his voice. _How come it still affects me so much, when one of my people refuses to call me Hokage?_

"I hope you don't expect me to let you go unpunished, right." she says her eyes roaming around the room, stopping on the wall right next to Iruka's shoulder.

Both shrug, not giving an answer.

The newly-appointed Hokage sighs, borrowing a phrase of one of her subordinates, naming the situation 'troublesome'. "I know already that I can't split you and Kamizuki." she says towards Kotetsu earning herself other meaningless shrug.

Tsunade fights the urge to roll her eyes. Kamizuki with Hagane have already accepted the fact of having a new leader. However, when Umino is nearby, they are still giving her the cold shoulder.

"So you two will stay together and _help_ me with the paperwork, as a punishment." she says evilly. _That would be good. I won't have to do that, _and_ I will have an opportunity to get out of them what is Umino's problem._

"I understand, Hokage-sama." he says earning himself a hurt look from Umino. He mouths 'sorry' back to him.

"As for Umino, I would like to talk to you alone. Hagane – you are dismissed."

* * *

><p><strong>As usual, hope you liked it. Will post second one tomorrow, so review (not going to post it for myself, after all :P )<strong>

**Nice day,  
>me. <strong>


	2. Chapter 2

"It's not fair! Not at all!" Iruka, being the one who spoke, curls his fingers trough his undid hair in an angry gesture.

"Life's not fair." Izumo sings, not even knowing what Iruka is referring to.

"Ya still talking 'bout the punishment?" Kotetsu raises an eyebrow which, surprisingly, doesn't make him seem cool, but rather demented.

Iruka huffs out in annoyance just like all his kids do sometimes.

And adults are more childish than children, so it's not really surprise.

"Seems like you do." a grin and the tallest man gives an impression of a satisfied hedgehog, napping in a shadow.

"I am the only one punished!" the sensei tries not to raise his voice and fail even more miserably than Kotetsu when trying to muffle his laughter.

"No, you are not!" says Izumo at the same time when his best friend exclaims:

"Serves you right."

Iruka raises an eyebrow. He thought his friends are always on the same frequency, being almost like twins, but he is proven wrong.

"What do you mean, Zumo?" he asks and sends an ugly look towards his other friend.

Izumo smiles sweetly and Iruka is surprised that it actually looks honest. What has happened with his cynic friend? "Look at it as a … holiday. The only punished would be Tsunade-hime and the poor bastard substituting your class."

They make their way to the roof of Hokage tower, waving to every jounin and ANBU they pass. The sun is slowly setting, and they know it means more of the higher ranks are out and about. When not on mission, the jounin don't usually get up before noon.

"You think so?" Iruka asks silently while sitting down on a wooden floor and leaning back on his arms.

"Yeah.." Izumo sits next to him with his legs crossed, his knee casually touching Iruka's thigh. Kotetsu ungracefully falls flat on his back next to Izumo with his hands as a pillow. He watches solemnly the reddened clouds, making the evening look little bit apocalyptic.

"After all.." Kotetsu says as he snuggles closer to the heat radiating from Izumo, "..you are the only one who can survive them. I swear they are more dangerous than a bunch of ANBU."

Izumo chuckles as he remember the time a 'honorable jounin' Ebisu, that day substituting Iruka's oldest class, was sent to a hospital, because one small girl decided he is going to be their new practice-target. Since then, Iruka hasn't been sent to any mission lasting longer than those two, weekend days when school is closed.

Iruka smirks, "I _like_ them. They are innocent, yet deadly."

"Yea.. that reminds me of someone, actually." Kotetsu scratches his head in a mocking gesture.

Iruka gives him an odd look, but decides not to be offended – he would have to show Izumo away, if he wanted to hit his spiky-headed friend for his comment, after all.

"Aah.. you are, too, the only one who can find anything in your register in the mission room. Even I haven't found any sense in there." Izumo points out quickly.

"Yea, that's right." Kotetsu nods as much as it is possible in his laying position. "You have some system there no one else understands."

Iruka tosses his head back and laughs, earning himself looks from the other two shinobi. He can't help it. The fact that he managed to get even his best friends was just too much. They knew him good – better than himself, actually.

"What makes you say I have some system down there?" he asks mischievously and winks.

"You don't?" Izumo asks silently with a huge grin on his face and lays down on his back, too. His hair is falling around his head and Iruka can catch a peak at his burned skin around his right eye.

The sensei stares.

It's somehow hypnotizing, the injured skin, giving a vibe of something covered, dangerous, sad – forbidden, even.

As if sensing his friend's look, Izumo looks at him with a soft smile, before closing his visible eye, in a content gesture.

"No." the teacher admits running his fingers over his own scar. He wonders how the skin covered by his friend's brown hair feels like, how it looks like, after all of these years.

"You know.." Iruka whispers as he hesitantly touches Izumo's hair, pushing it slowly away. His friend smiles knowingly, as if reading his mind.

"Hm?" Izumo grunts out, urging his friend to continue, because his fingers froze in place, as well as his voice.

"I..I wrote a .. poem that day. When we returned back. Before I collapsed." he admits, expecting surprised reaction, maybe even request to read it. He is surprised when Izumo smiles:

"I know."

Iruka finally manages to put away the offending hair and drinks in the sight of pale skin, decorated with scars crossing each other in an angry red color. Izumo's eyes are closed, both, and Iruka is suddenly glad.

The memory of his friend's unseeing eyes from that day haunts him in his dreams, still.

"We've both read it, you know." Kotetsu silently speaks up and when Iruka looks up quickly, he can see him smiling an unusually gentle smile. "What – you think you can keep something from us?" he asks teasingly and Izumo chuckles, the burned skin creasing from the motion.

"I-I didn't know.." Iruka smiles and runs his fingers over the skin under Izumo's eye. It is cold.

"Speaking about things you don't know.." Kotetsu starts with a smirk, which is more usual on his face and Iruka blinks, awaiting the worst. "If you don't have a system in the register, how come you can always easily pick the report you need?"

The teacher looks up with a wicked smile.

"I can't believe you haven't figured it out, yet." Izumo says, before Iruka can even open his mouth.

"You did?"

"Yup!" the smaller chuunin says cheekily and leans into Iruka's touch – his fingers are warm and although weird, it is actually nice sensation.

Kotetsu sits up eying his friends carefully. "How?"

"Chakra wires." Iruka says simply and waits for a few seconds he knows it will take for Kotetsu to start laughing.

"I can't believe you." he says and laughs, easily and honestly, because for once he is with friends and he knows he is safe.

* * *

><p><em>Wohooo! Freedom!<em> The Uma ANBU struggles not to show his happiness, but he probably fails, because his taicho is giving him odd look and smirking.

"We have to wait for Kuma-sensei and Kobura to arrive, before we can go." Kumo whispers in a tone suggesting the ANBU taicho is not happy, either, to have to stick there any time longer.

"I knoooow, taicho. It's just.. _Eight hours _are more than enough." Uma moans his answer and scratch his eyebrow – a task proving to be rather difficult, due to his mask. He can feel he is _sweaty_.

Kumo nods and cracks the joints on neck. The taicho makes a gesture signalizing someone is close and both straighten to look presentable.

From around the corner walk another two ANBU, looking next to each other rather comically – while the first one is tall and _big – _probably man, judging by the long steps he is taking and his broad shoulders, two steps behind him is pattering Kobura, shorter of about two heads and slim, almost looking fragile.

"Greetings, kids." Kumo says and the loud voice reveals the guard as a woman. She raises her hand and gives a salute.

"Who is a kid, here?" Kuma, the legendary Black Bear, grunts out before patting the taicho from another division on her head.

The spider guard just titles her head before pointing towards her partner, Uma. "He is."

Kuma makes a motion as if to roll his eyes, but catches himself. It won't do any good for the leader of Interrogation to do such a childish thing.

"Just leave, you two. Sleep well, don't die.. you know the thrill." Kuma says and shoos the two guards away. He and Kobura will protect the Hokage for the next eight hours.

"Don't die." says the Kobura, too, in a phrases which started to be rather popular between the ANBU.

"You neither." Uma speaks up with a kind smile hidden behind his porcelain mask.

"At least not without reason.." Kumo says, breaking their pattern.

Uma shrugs. "Don't die, taicho." he wishes and disappears in a swirl of leaves, catching a glance of his superior doing the same.

* * *

><p>Transporting himself into his apartment, Uma reaches to untie his mask.<p>

His fingers don't shake, even though he knows they should, but for a second he is glad – untying the knot, he takes the mask away, collapsing on his carpet in exhaustion – ANBU missions are draining but he is used to it, so that's not what makes him growl in annoyance. The problem is the mask.

"Be careful, it can destroy you." his taicho told him the first day he touched the soft surface of that ANBU tool. "It gives you chakra, at least that's what you feel."

He can still remember his fingers tracing the soft features and sharp lines all over the mask, thinking how beautiful it was.

It isn't anymore.

"_In reality, it's just a drug. Giving you an illusion you have enough energy, enough chakra, enough _live_ left, to do everything you have to._" the unmasked Uma says in a tired voice, curled on his carpet, hiding his head in his hands and repeating words which were spoken to him so, so long ago.

"_It makes you feel.. _normal._ Even if you murder a child, you don't feel compunction. Not unless you take the mask off._" he remembers the words of his superior and once more he feels just how _true_ they were.

His fingers shakes from the physical, as well as emotional, exhaustion, but he manages to crawl onto his couch and cover himself with a blanket. He picks a senbon he has placed on his small table and places it in his mouth enjoying the touch of the cold metal.

He drifts to sleep.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Good night to our favourite Tokubetsu Jounin :)<strong>_

_**And nice day to you all who read this, and review, if you may.**_

_**bye bye~**_

_**me.**_


	3. Chapter 3

**_Thank you, Neko-san, for your review :) as for why you are the only one, maybe that's 'cause you unlike others actually do like my stories :P makes me happy that atleast one._**

**_As to how is Genma involved.. you will see. Today, actually. It's not going to be pretty._**

**_Chakra wires - I imagine Iruka tagging the wires\reports with some kind of 'key words' to know.. However, I am not sure; it's his idea, not mine, after all ;)_**

**_Enjoy, minna-san._  
><strong>

* * *

><p><em>Date: 21<em>_st__ of November to 15__th__ of December_

_ Goal: Meet a contact and obtain a scroll – bring the scroll back to Konoha Gakure_

_ Placed: Western Marshland of the Land of Earth; town Shai-anenu; The Buddy's pub_

_ Performer: Shiranui Genma (tokubetsu jounin; ANBU third in a division 4)_

_ Umino Iruka (chuunin; currently working at the Academy; m. info. class.)_

_ Report date: 16__th__ of December_

Umino Iruka (chuunin; currently working in the Academy; m. info. class.) blinks rather confusedly and stops himself from laughing.

It would probably come out rather hysterical.

He has 24 days long mission together with Shiranui? They will kill each other. First of all – Iruka can't be with someone 24/7, because when he has to, he slowly starts to feeling an irritation just out of the _presence _of that person.

And second – the guy is still angry. Because of the prank, as well as because of the period of time Iruka shut himself away from everyone.

They will kill each other.

The fact that some _idiot_ wrote to the official scroll his status didn't raise his mood.

_More information classified._ Like hell. What if someone asks him why is he classified? He isn't higher rank, nor is he some ex-prisoner or anything.

And what if someone – specifically Shiranui who _has_ to know everything – starts to get curious? He will be in soo much of a deep .. _problem_.

Iruka lets out a deep sigh and runs his tanned hand trough his hair. He is tired.

_Maybe I should apologize to him. So we can spend the mission as calmly as we can.._

The sensei stands up, making his bones crack in protest. His sight falls down on the scroll and he titles his head, contemplating. Should he? Or not?

It's not _smart_ to carry his Mission-scroll around in the village, but he is not sure if Shiranui has gotten his, already. Neither is he sure if he will actually _find_ the man.

_Did his shift end? Or is he still out playing an ANBU?_

Iruka titles his head in a gesture slightly resembling a cat and watches the scroll, waiting for it to start talking.

It doesn't.

Reading the small signs again and trying to find some hidden sense, Iruka realizes _two_ things.

First; not only _his_ status is written there clearly, but there is also the part mentioning Genma's ANBU carrier and position. Which is information classified. And _this_ classification is protected with an order to immediately _kill_ everyone knowing it, when one shouldn't.

Iruka gulps.

And second; the mission seems rather easy, just long termed. Tsunade is not trying to get him killed by an enemy ninja, no, she is trying to make him die from a _boredom_.

Iruka gulps again, feeling his arms shake. Tsunade's intentions are not important. What is important is, that some idiot just signed his _death_.

The only option left is for Iruka to join the ANBU, too. The idea is what sends him into a fit of hysterical laugh and he is still laughing and hiccuping when he leaves his apartment in a search for his soon-to-be mission partner, with the offending scroll safely tugged under his arm.

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><p><strong><em>Short, I know. That's 'cause the next part is longer than is usual for my story-chapters, and if I put them together in one part, it would be <em>unusual_._**

_**Weeeell.. have a nice day and review, if you have 5 seconds to spare :P**_

_**me.**  
><em>


	4. Chapter 4

_**Hellooo :)**_

_**Thanks for the review, by the way, Neko-san :)**_

___**Todays is a bit angst-ish.. but I wanted some friendly bonding time for them (so they won't kill each other in next chapters - they tend to do that, when I'm not looking)**_

_**Writting this I was in a company of a Nirvana songs You are just the one (which**_** someone_ just had to go and stuck into my head) and Hearth shaped box._**

* * *

><p><em>Pain.<em>

_ Pain, pain, pain._

_ Pain._

_ His body hurts._

_ …_

_ As well as his head. And arms and legs and just whole his _damned_ body!_

Genma groans out his frustration and tries to roll over to get better position on his bed.

He somehow managed to lay on his belly with his arms under his chest,- they _hurt_ – and his own damned senbon hurting his mouth, being stuck in the mattress.

He moves his arm carefully – hurts – and takes the senbon out of his mouth. He drops it to his right, where he knows is his night-table. He is surprised to hear a soft 'clank' of the light metal hitting the floor.

_Missed. What an idiot._

Genma sighs, which – hurts – is rather difficult, since his whole weigh is pushing against his stomach and chest. He untangles his second arm – hurts – and pushes himself against the fabric, rolling over to – nothing – the other side of the bed – nothing – which seems not to be there.

He falls.

The fact makes him scream in a panicked voice and he tries to move his hand to cover his head, but it – hurts – is not possible. He is too slow.

His eyes are violently jerked open just when his back connects with the floor, making him winded and gasping for breath.

"Shiranui-san? Are you alright?" he hears a voice, but the words don't make sense.

He has to breath. Breath, breath, breath. He needs to. Or else he will die.

"Coming in."

Genma closes his eyes again, breath. But his body doesn't hurt anymore. Maybe he will just go and die. It's rather painless.

"Oh. What are you.." the voice is there again. Is that some Kami? Did he die? He doesn't want to open his eyes. If he died, why is he still trying to _breath_?

Suddenly he feels light touch under his neck, between his collarbones. It's getting more strong, adding a pressure, and suddenly it – hurts – hurts just a little, tiny bit, and he can breath, breath, breath.

Genma gasp for the air feeling his lungs hurt and his eyes are gathering tears and he can breath and strong arms are helping him to sit up and he. Can. Breath.

"You alright?" Genma opens his eyes again, understanding that the voice wasn't his imagination, and tries to find the someone who had helped him, and who is so nicely, wonderfully warm.

_Iruka. Of course. Who else. If there is someone he doesn't want to see him like this, it's Umino, or Raido. But Rai already has. So that leaves.. who? Just the one who is now looking at him with a worried expression, waiting for him to say something, so just say something._

"mm'kay." Genma tries to push Iruka's hands away, but he is weak and his movements – hurt – are slow. "Go 'way.." he pleases weakly, wishing to be left alone to _die_.

"Not until I get you to bed, you are tired." the warm voice, known as Umino Iruka, informs him calmly and Genma wonders if he will have enough chakra left to transport himself somewhere where no one will _ever_ find him, and he would be able to lick his wounds.

No. Probably not.

Hell – he wouldn't even be able to transport back on the couch.

Which wasn't his bed. That's why he managed to fall down on a floor and get his breath knocked out of him. A jounin! Defeated by his own couch, which refused to be a bed.

"Couch's fault. Not mine." Genma whispers defensively and rather childishly leaning against the hands supporting him. They were – warm – easing his pain and exhaustion.

"Of course. I never even _thought_ otherwise." answers the sensei, who knows that's really, really stupid to argue with a lunatic or a child.

And the jounin was kind of both. Up to that degree, it was actually fascinating.

"Now, I will have to pick you up to get you to bed, so don't panic, don't scream or anything, don't puncture me with a senbon and don't fight."

Genma chuckles silently, because laughing – hurts – is not really comfortable right now.

"Senbon!" he whispers urgently when he feels himself being picked up against Iruka's – warmth – chest. He doesn't have his eyes open anymore, but he knows Iruka is rolling his eyes.

"I have it." the sensei murmurs back giving last look the scroll he left on Shiranui's table, before walking towards the door he suspects leads to the jounin's bedroom.

"Is it always like _this_?" Iruka asks softly, while kicking the door open.

_Ha – bedroom, good. _

The jounin is silent for a moment, before answering:

"No. I had a mission." Talking hurts. But he has to say it. Explain, explain to Iruka. "Had only two hours to rest after it. Before shift. I didn't take my mask off,.. in between. Thought it's a good idea."

"And it wasn't." Iruka sighs and lowers the jounin on his bed, tucking him securely into the blankets. "Rest. I will come back later." The sensei stands up to leave, but Genma's hand catches his sleeve, tugging him back.

"Stay. It's cold. You are warm." he whispers and Iruka can see the silent fear, the darkness caused by nightmares, in the jounin's half-opened eyes, so he agrees.

"'key. But after you wakes up we have to talk about something." _A mission and, more precisely, some idiot who managed to _screw_ it up._

Genma nods his head lightly, not even knowing what he agreed to. He doesn't care.

Iruka is warm.

And right there.

Maybe, just maybe, he will be able to sleep without dreams for once.

Maybe not, but he can hope, that if he _has_ dreams, they will be pleasant.

And warm.

* * *

><p><em><strong>As usual: Hope you liked it, you can review :P<strong>_

**_Bye and have a nice day,_**

**_me._**


	5. Chapter 5

_**Hi again :)**_

_**Was listening to Tom Klus while writting this chapter - the song was "Treplev" from where comes the line of "**_**There is no pain in death. Painful is the fear of it." _(in orig.: Ve smrti není bolesti, to jen ve strachu z ní.)_**

* * *

><p>Morning came and left.<p>

It rains and the air is heavy, signalizing the coming storm or maybe even snow.

The first snow of year.

Iruka stirs, trying to avoid being awoken by the poking hand and rather loud voice of his coworker.

It's dark, because of the rain.

Someone who is used to waking up with the sun, or at least with darkness _promising_ the sun, sooner or later, these days are bad.

"Wakie, wakie." Genma says again trying to steal the blanket Iruka is holding in a death grip. "You can't sleep forever, you know." he chuckles softly at the protesting noises the sensei is making, although he really doesn't feel like laughing.

Problems. Always problems.

And it started as such a nice day. He woke up to the soft sound of rain and oh-so-peaceful breathing of his friend. He hadn't even been dreaming. Such a nice night.

And than, his clock was showing 5:21, he got up. Merely because he wasn't tired anymore and he liked rain and liked listening to it while he was alone. It was a shelter – he was alone, the steady pouring of water creating a wall, a barrier, between him and the rest of the world.

It was nice.

But he wasn't alone, this time. Iruka was there, so he can as well make him a breakfast.

Genma took a shower. Put on clean, nice-smelling clothes. And went to his living room.

Or dining room.

Depends how you look at it.

And he had even forgotten to take his senbon with him, so he had nothing to bite down on, as he quickly scanned the scroll laying innocently on the small table.

_Shit_.

"Wake up, Iruka." another poke to the sensei's ribs and Genma wonders just how _damned_ tired the chuunin had to be, if he has been sleeping longer than _him_.

"I guess I got what you wanted to talk about." Genma informs the half-awake chuunin calmly, even thought calmness is the last thing he feels.

Iruka blinks in confusion at first, realization hitting him suddenly like a truck.

"Shit." the sensei curses and sits up quickly, making Genma jump away – because he doesn't want to have a head-on-head collision so early in the morning, thank you very much – and chuckle.

Iruka eyes him with raised eyebrows: "What's funny? 'Cause, you know, I would use some joke myself."

Genma shrugs, before answering with all honesty: "Nothing much. Just that I said the same thing."

"Oh. It's so.." Iruka starts before dropping his face into his palms.

"..Screwed?" Genma finishes in his place.

"Yeah.. What should I do? Oh Kami-sama.. What am I going to do.."

"What should _we_ do. You aren't going to solve this alone – we both saw how well it went the last time you tried." Genma narrows his eyes watching the obviously panicked sensei.

Iruka rolls his eyes searching calmness in his inner sensei – analyzing, finding connections, searching solutions.

Words run trough his head as steady lines of numbers, as a stream, as the rain haunting his senses from outside of the flat.

_ANBU equals PROBLEM. Mission equals time. They haven't found out about the slip – I wouldn't be alive, if they did._

"It's alright. For now." Iruka says calmly and steps out of the warm bed, leaving his confused coworker stare dumbly at his back.

"Today is twenty-first?" Iruka asks to be sure.

"Twenty-first of November?" Iruka says and turns around to see Genma nodding.

"Let's get a breakfast." Iruka orders and leaves the room.

Genma follows silently, thinking, hoping.

* * *

><p>"You will have to lend me some clothes and weapon." Iruka informs the jounin, while munching on a piece of cake.<p>

"Why is that?" Genma swallows his own bite before asking. He circles his glass of milk in his hand, watching the white liquid instead of the confusing sensei.

Iruka rolls his eyes.

_He looks so young. Too young to die._ Genma sighs. "I will do it, but I want to _hear_ what you want to do."

"Genma-san." Iruka is frowning and there can be seen deep sadness in his eyes. "I am nothing but a coward, who can't think clearly. All I can do now, is to hide. To flee. To disappear, before I can come out with something better."

_Or before I can accept my own death._

There is no pain in death. Painful is the fear of it.

"The mission?" Genma asks curtly – it makes sense, however.. it doesn't solve the problem.

"I would rather die later than now." Iruka informs him, calmly laying down the rest of his breakfast and leaning onto his elbows. "That's the thing I am good at. Surviving."

Genma swallows eying the sensei with slight sadness in his eyes. Then he nodds.

Few moments pass in stillness, silently, both shinobi now knowing what they need to do.

"Follow me." Genma says softly. He curls his lips into hesitant smile – Iruka's idea doesn't sound so bad, maybe not everything is lost.

Iruka stands up and quickly puts the dishes away.

"No one needs to know I spent night here." Iruka explains to the jounin, who is waiting in the doorway. "If I have to die, I wouldn't really want anyone to join me." he jokes cheerfully hoping for a smile from the older shinobi – what he gets is a frown.

_Good enough._

"I don't really have any chuunin uniform anymore, but I guess you won't get in trouble for _that_." Genma murmurs and lead his friend back towards his bedroom. He kneels down and takes out of his closet two pair of pants, black for himself and blue for Iruka, because he knows that those are about the best size for him. Iruka is little bit shorter than him.

The teacher takes them distastefully, "Could you borrow me some black ones? Blue is not much of a stealth color.." he asks turning his patented puppy-eyes on the jounin.

Genma smirks. "Alright." he agrees and throws the other pair to the teacher, purposely smacking his head. He is answered with the first pair in question landing on top of his own head, covering his eyes.

"Thank-you _oh mighty jounin_!" Iruka says, repeating Genma's own sentence. It doesn't go unnoticed.

The jounin doesn't speak up immediately, instead rummages trough his clothes choosing simple undershirt and long-sleeved t-shirt for Iruka. Both in the same black color.

_That would do._ He decides before changing himself into similar outfit.

The clock on his wall shows 5:52.

"You already knew I was an ANBU. You even knew my mask." Genma states when he stands up and turns to watch Iruka slip on his attire. It suits him good, even thought he had to fold his pants a bit.

Iruka looks up from his task of chakra-pinning the offensive fabric – it won't do to stumble over his own trousers.

"Yes." the teacher says simply. His voice doesn't even have enough color for Genma to recognize his mood. Iruka pulls his hair into a ponytail as usual and puts on the undershirt. He can feel the olders gaze on him, still.

_You would like me to collaborate, wouldn't you.. _Iruka thinks to himself with amusement. Such a kid the jounin was.

"Well.. I have known for quite some time now. But don't worry, neither Izu, nor Ko know about you.." Iruka lies softly, watching carefully to know whether Genma believed him or not.

He does.

"And it doesn't change a thing." the chuunin continues before skipping closer to the other male and poking his shoulders. "Some weapon would be nice." he informs him with his grin on place.

"Wait up." Genma instructs him with a roll of his eyes before leaving the room. He has his weapon stash in the kitchen, as insane as it sounds.

* * *

><p>When he gets back – the clock kindly informing him that it was 6:07 – he finds Iruka sitting on his bed, looking bored.<p>

He hands him a wakizashi blade and katana for him to choose which one would he prefer. Iruka takes both.

"Why won't it change a thing?" Genma asks, deciding not to ask whether the chuunin knows how to fight with two weapon. Iruka unsheathes first the wakizashi to carefully inspect it's blade.

_It doesn't look neglected, but it doesn't look sharp either._ Iruka sighs. _I would have to sharpen it on our way.._

"You don't use short blades?" Iruka asks, ignoring the jounin's question.

"Not wakizashi. Neither katana, if I don't have to.. well.. I have to, at least at work." the jounin answers, inspecting the katana himself – even though he probably shouldn't have to, for he used it the day before.

"So only senbons and basic gear?" Iruka continues his inspection.

_Looks like the wakizashi has been used once, or twice.. That's not good. But the craftsmanship is good.. _He lays the wakizashi on his palm, so that he has blade on one side and the handle on the other. _The balance is off. Only a slight bit, but still.. Will have to work on it.._

"Mostly. I can use almost everything you can throw – knives, shuriken, kunai. I like to play with wires, sometimes, but am no good.. You would probably be better at that." Genma smiles remembering Iruka's obsession with traps. "Oh, I sometimes use tanto on a short distance."

Iruka nods and sheats the wakizashi. He will take it, but have to play with it later – hopefully _before_ he is forced to use it. He takes the katana from Genma's hands and repeat the inspection.

_Looks better. Balanced perfectly, blade sharpened, but just so.. Small nick by the tip, second one next to hilt._ The chuunin sheaths it, too. Laying both of the blades next to himself he looks up to Genma.

"What was that you asked?" he asks, because he wasn't paying attention.

"Why won't the fact you _knew_ about me before change a thing?" Genma asks offering Iruka a weapon pouch with the basic of ten kunai and ten shuriken.

"'Cause I'm not supposed to know anyway."

"Right.. Why are you classified?"

"Find yourself. It's classified." Iruka sticks out his tongue and grins.

The clock shows 6:15 and it still rains.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Good morning from Europe :)**_

__**_Listening to System of a Dawn - IEAOEIO and Lonely day._**

****_**Enjoy:**_

* * *

><p>"Tsunade-sama, Tsunade-sama!" Shizune, young dark-haired kunoichi says, poking her sleeping leader. The hokage just murmurs something and rolls on her other side.<p>

"You have to wake up, Tsunade-sama!" she moans desperately trying to shake the elder lady awake.

"'sup?" Tsunade finally grunts out and struggles to hold her eyes open. She was awake long the last night, and not even because she was drinking. Those two chuunins was giving her hell.

She had to go trough every paper once again after them, not even talking about those report they managed to lost, destroy or soil enough that no one was able to read them anymore.

"One of the chuunin – I think his name is Manuke – is trying to find you. He says he needs to talk to you, and it's urgent." Shizune informs her professionally while helping the hokage put on some presentable clothes.

"What does he want?" Tsunade asks unkindly and Shizune gulps – the blond lady won't be very diplomatic.

"He didn't say. Just that it's urgent." She says and glances on her watch – it's 5:58. "Something with the paperwork I think.." Shizune adds hesitantly and Tsunade raises her eyebrow.

"Paperwork.." she repeats. "He should hope it's really urgent."

* * *

><p>"What's the time?" Iruka asks and jumps up and down three times to see if his backpack is packed good enough not to make any noise. One clink could get them both killed.<p>

"Six-twenty." Genma informs him while fastening the strap on Iruka's pack which seemed slack.

"Well.. we better leave." Iruka frowns and does a check on his gear – everything seems to be in order; katana on his back under the backpack – it could probably get uncomfortable on a longer walk, but it would let him get the weapon quickly; the wakizashi resting on his right hip, little bit crooked to the side, so he can grab it with both his right and left hand; kunai and shuriken present; hitai-ate on his neck, lightly covered by his shirt – the badge shines, and just like Ibi-sama told him when he was just a snotty genin: _'It's a matter of honor to be seen with your village badge, however, if some enemy spots the shine in wilderness, he won't ask whether you are honorable. He would ask whether you are dead yet.'_

_All in place._

"Yes! That's gonna be sooo much fun!" Genma grins wild and jumps with a graceful movement on his windowsill gesturing Iruka to follow.

_Leaving his own apartment by the window like a thief – seems like a crazy enough beginning of a crazy mission._ The chuunin grins wickedly and follows into the rain.

* * *

><p>"Find the chuunin and tell him to meet me here." Tsunade orders with a frown. She rubs her eyes – it's only 6:07 and she already regrets ever leaving her bed. Such a mess.<p>

"I already send a colleague to find him, but seems like he is not in his apartment." the stuck-up looking chuunin in front of her informs her. "And the mission order is not there either."

"You are saying he took the paper and left?" the hokage asks coldly. That would only make things more difficult.

_Scratch that – he already has a death sentence, _nothing _can make it worse.. _

The chuunin nods: "Seems like that, however he haven't left the village.." the 'yet' is left unspoken and Tsunade prepares to let out a stream of curses, however firm knock on her door stops her.

_Maybe the little chuunin got a good idea, after all, and stopped hiding.._

"Come in." she orders, however the person coming in is _not_ the academy teacher at all.

"Morino Ibiki. What do you want?" Tsunade asks the interrogation specialist who is marching into her office as if he owned it.

"I heard some interesting things." Ibiki says with a smile which doesn't seem even remotely close to genuine and shoos the chuunin out of the room. He even has the galls to order _Shizune_ to leave and Tsunade is left furious.

"Speak." She tells him and her voice doesn't betray any of her emotions. Ibiki only grins wider making himself comfortable on Tsunade's table.

"I heard one of your chuunin idiots screwed a mission-orders for my little Iruka." and then his smile is down-right scary.

"_Your little Iruka_?" Tsunade repeats with a raised eyebrow. Ibiki nods.

"He was _my_ genin. So he _is_ my responsibility." he informs her simply and leans closer. "So do whatever you want to – _Hokage-sama_ – but if he is smart enough to hide – and I _know_ he is – I will find a way to get him outta it."

Suddenly Tsunade knows where did Umino get his deviance. She nods watching the man stride out of her office turning at her from the doorway.

"I will send Hatake in, after all – you _did_ want to send him to play with my kid." he chuckles deeply showing the white-haired jounin inside from where he was waiting on the corridor.

"Good luck Hatake. You will need it."

* * *

><p><em><strong>And now our favourite pervert is on a hunt. :)<strong>_

**_Review, if you like this story :)_**

**_And have a nice day,  
>me. <em>**


	7. Chapter 7

_**Here again :)**_

___**Neko-san, my favourite, most loayal reader!, what if I don't intend on informing everyone of why is Iruka classified? O:) Just.. I know why, he knows why, Hokage (probably) knows why.. :)**_

___**Anyway, forget my urges to be evil for a moment and enjoy today's chapter!**_

* * *

><p>Kakashi really didn't know how he ended there.<p>

So he does what he is best at – he stops thinking. And he knocks on the door he has been looking at for two minutes at least.

_Hokage said he's not home, but I feel I should at least try. _However, behind the door decorated with a small picture of some fish – probably dolphin – is only silence.

_Seems like he's really _not_ at home._ Kakashi smiles for himself. _Now where to?_

He turns on his heel going trough everything he knows about the academy teacher – he slowly walks down the stair.

_I am sure he's not by any of his friends – Hagane and Kamizuki – that's too obvious._ Kakashi makes a blur of hand-seals.

"Kuchiose no Jutsu" he whispers and with a silent 'pop' small dog appears on the lowest stair.

"What's up?" the dog asks and levels the famous copy-nin with a bored stare.

"Go to check Kamizuki Izumo's apartment and Hagane Kotetsu's as well. If you spot something .. curious, let me know. Oh – I am looking for Umino Iruka. If you find him, tell me." Kakashi informs him.

"Iruka-sensei? Why are you trying to find him?" The dog doesn't seem to be inclined to obey his master.

"...Orders. Now go." Hatake watches the pug leave and titles his head.

_Where would I go, if someone screwed my mission orders? - That's what Morino said, after all.. _ Kakashi brows a map of Konoha in his head – he can see it as clearly as if he has it in front of his eyes.

After a moment he leaps to the square, right in the village middle. _I have three gates he can use. I don't think he will use the main, for it's too heavily guarded.. on another note, no one would look for him there.._

He freezes in a mid-step. _He's not alone. He _has_ to have someone helping him.. Iruka-sensei is a man who can think aloud better than in his mind. Someone is with him. But who?_

Few jumps and Kakashi stands on a high roof. _Someone is helping him._

The tower clock shows 6:21.

_I don't have time. _His thoughts run quick and blurry, he can't concentrate on them, so he doesn't try. He let the stream, which feels weirdly familiar and yet foreign, hit him with a full force.

_Shiranui._ He thoughts. _He's helping the sensei. _How he knows, he's not sure. However, it makes sense – isn't the tokubetsu the one having the mission with Iruka? And it is a well known fact Shiranui is fascinated by the chuunin trio – he counts himself as their friend, even.

_It's easy, then._ _It will be the western gate – it's the gate closest to his home, after all. And the tokubetsu has a habit of using it – _always_. He is probably not even aware of that._ Kakashi smiles a cold smile to himself jumping over the roofs towards the gate.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Short, shorter, shortest :P look forward tomorrow, that one is longer.<strong>_

_**Review and have a nice day,  
>me. <strong>_


	8. Chapter 8

_**Not much longer, I know.. I didn't have the patience in between pioneer, shool-graduation-stuff and 'peaceful' atmosphere at home.**_

___**Ew, dear-diaring you again :(**_

___**Enjoy the piece of (hopefully) artistic creation.**_

* * *

><p>"I have a bad feeling about this.." Genma murmurs and picks up his pace. He can already see the gate, behind there they would be able to relax – as much as any shinobi-on-mission can.<p>

"Yeah.. and I know why." Iruka says. Before Genma has enough time to look at him, the chuunin is grabbing his sleeve to stop his movement. Genma raises his eyebrow and looks up from the streets he has been watching, to look at his companion.

Iruka has that really weird smile on his face, the smile that make Genma think about everything what can go wrong. Iruka flicks his eyes towards the upper side of gate and the jounin follows his gaze.

_Aaah... hell._ Genma thinks, for he suddenly knows why he had the bad feeling, too. On top of the gate, on one of the wooden pylons, is a shadowed silhouette. And the worst part is, that Genma knows _who_ the shinobi waiting for them is – and that they don't have a chance of defeating him. And even _trying_ to persuade him is futile as well.

After all, the Konoha White Wolf Jr. doesn't negotiate. He traces, hunts and kills.

"Kakashi-sensei, I haven't seen you for a while!" Iruka shouts cheerily and wakes Genma up from his trance, like smelling salts.

_Does he not have an ounce of survival instinct? _To his greatest surprise, however, the legendary jounin smiles on them his infamous eye-smile, jumps down from his position and lands on the deserted street under. Iruka immediately follows him, tugging the struggling jounin behind him.

"Iruka-sensei." Hatake greets him casually and waves almost friendly.

"You here to wish us good luck on our mission?" Iruka asks innocently, even though Genma is sure Kakashi can see right trough it.

"You could say that, Iruka-sensei..." Kakashi says and steps closer to them with a spark in his visible eye, that makes Genma's hands twitch to grab his trusted senbon. He steps closer to Iruka as well, not even hoping he would be able to stop a killing blow.

"However, I am not sure I am going to let you trough." Hatake says calmly, as if he doesn't sense the urge to fight radiating from the other jounin in their group. He watches the sensei, who doesn't even seem scared with a bored, but alert stare.

He stands close enough to touch and Genma watches as Iruka easily smiles at the copy-nin.

_I forgot he has Ibiki's training..._ Genma thinks as Iruka's grin grows impossibly wide.

"Is this still about the prank? I know I haven't said sorry, yet, but I didn't think you would demand formal apology for a simple paper." Iruka says cheekily and forces to calm his heart. _If you are flirting with your death, at least enjoy yourself_ Ibiki once said and Iruka remembers (almost) everything his sensei told him.

However, the most he remembers things his sensei told him when drunk.

"So it _was _you, after all." Hatake responds scratching his cheek. _His gestures are relaxed, he doesn't act as an enemy, _yet_. _Genma notes that with a growing discomfort. _What are you playing at, Hatake?_

"You didn't know?"

"I _thought_ it was, but Shiranui said you are too innocent to do that."

Iruka gazes on his left where the silent tokubetsu stands, looking nervous. He smiles in silent apologies to unintentionally deceive him.

"Well, it was all my idea, so he was wrong." he informs them not at all truthfully, but given the circumstances, his two friends probably won't be angry to be denied their moment of glory.

"I don't really believe _that_, sensei." Kakashi says in a mock-kind voice. Or he actually means it, Genma doesn't know.

"So, yeah.. Well.." the sensei stumbles upon his words – just a game for him. He bows his head lowly almost hitting the copy-nin with his forehead in the process. Intentionally. "Please accept my formal spoken apology for my ridiculous and totally uncalled-for prank I played on you." Iruka says with a growing smirk on his lips.

"You know which prank I mean, that one I told you you have an 'idiot'-sign on your back and instead pinned the note 'gonna copy your ass' there." the sensei speaks quickly as not to be stopped – he looks like really enjoying himself and even Genma feels himself smiling gently, when he notices something resembling a blush appearing on the copy-nin's higher cheek.

"That one paper almost everyone believed and made you paranoid enough you couldn't even speak to Shiranui-san without rambling like an idiot." Iruka finishes with a wicked grin.

"I don't know if I should laugh or hit you, Iruka. I really don't." Genma comments carefully. "Now we can go?" he asks the copy-nin, using the fact he hasn't recovered from his shock just yet.

Kakashi blinks and firmly grips Iruka's arm. "No." His frown is back, as well as the steal in his eye.

* * *

><p><em><strong>That's it, I will probably be little late tomorrow, but it doesn't matter, since only one person like this story enough to write a feedback to the poor, deprived, depressed and affection-starving author :P<strong>_

_**Bye-bye,  
><strong>_**_me._**


	9. Chapter 9

_**Well, I realized I can upload it in the morning :P so I am on time, thank thou for motivation, Neko-san :)**_

_**Anyway, since whenever I say I will be late (when it's possible I will be) I actually manage it, hear: I will probably be late tomorrow. :) I have Aikido! :) Yatta!**_

_**Enjoy:**_

* * *

><p>Izumo blinks the sleep out of his eyes and grips a startlingly cold kunai in his palm. He has it kept under his pillow – once ninja, always ninja. However, today is probably the first day he will ever use it.<p>

"Kotetsu?" Izumo whispers silently – he heard someone and even though he doesn't think it's his friend, it would be better to not have Kotetsu startled by random atack.

At least not with a sharp object nearby.

_Even though this kunai is not very sharp.._ Izumo notices as he runs his thumb over the blade. His hearth is suddenly heavier, he is _scared_.

Not from the situation, not because he can hear soft pads behind his window – someone is walking on the roof – but from the feeling of excitement. He grips the weapon harder and experimentally flicks it in his palm.

_I haven't gotten any normal mission in quite some time.. _He thinks as he leak some of his killing-intent into the blade. It feels like home.

He resists the urge to cackle evilly – because if Ibi-sama heard about it, he would punch him – as he stalks closer to the window, almost melting into his walls.

His eyes are bright.

* * *

><p>Kotetsu shifts his weight onto left leg and leans higher to get a better look at rooftops.<p>

_Aah, I was right, there _is_ something in front of Zumo's apartment._ He spots small shade, animal. Or a nin-animal, that would be more dangerous.

He gracefully jumps onto the lower roof, sneaking quickly forward.

Ibiki once told him he is like a panther, he makes harsh, fast, silent and yet elegant strides, when he is sneaking.

_Yeah, right. And Ruka was apparently eagle, or something... and Zumo was a snake._ He remembers with a smile. He can feel weird chakra from his friend's flat, but it's still his. But it's all twisted and strong, and _strange_.

_Killing intent._

Kotetsu almost freezes right than and there – you can't fight against ninja leaking killing intent, when you are leaking it not. Even if you are higher rank, or something, you would be defeated.

_I remember the last time someone lost it to killing intent... Ruka.._

Kotetsu quickens his pace. Just a few seconds left, but the shadow of a nin-animal is close, closer, too close.

_I won't be able to stop him from killing the pet._

And when he nears the window he recognizes the animal – it's a dog, nin-dog. With Kakashi's sing. And he won't be able to stop it from dying.

* * *

><p>Izumo grins.<p>

He can no longer feel the kunai pressed into his palm – his palms are the weapons, his body is a sword, his soul is a sword. His hearth is cold and hard, his senses are sharp.

He's a sword.

He is still. Izumo starts counting – three hearth-beats and breath in, three hearth-beats during a breath out, and again.

Again.

Izumo slows down his breathing to minimum, his hearth almost stilling as well, still following the pattern of his breathing.

He looks out and finally can see someone moving. A person.

He waits counting down the steps his enemy has to make before entering his killing-range.

7.

6.

5...

* * *

><p><em><strong>And here I though I was writting something to ease the tension.. looks like my mind had another plans :)<strong>_

_**Hope you liked it ;)**_


	10. Chapter 10

**Well, that was an interesting part of my life :)**

**Thank you very much for your message, you can't imagine how much I appreciated it, Neko-san. And thank you, Ides of March, for the warning, I honestly didn't notice.**

**That would be everything I wished to write into my diary, let's move on with the story.**

* * *

><p>"And why not?" Iruka demands and this time even the shine in his eyes disappear.<p>

"There is a death-sentence upon you, Iruka-sensei. Do you know?" Kakashi asks him coldly.

"Yes."

"Than you know why I am here." the copy-nin whispers.

Iruka nods._ You are sent to kill me. _"Tsunade told you to try and bring me back."

"Of course she did, what do you expect her to do? Let you go?"

"It wasn't his fault!" Genma says loudly finally fed up with being silent. Iruka looks at him curiously, but Kakashi's eyes stay on the teacher.

"Did you expect your sensei to save you?" the copy-nin continues in a quiet voice, as if he didn't even hear the other jounin.

Iruka's head shoots up, his eyes wide. "No." he says firmly. "I just need time to.. to calm down." The possibility of his sensei even _knowing_ didn't occur to him.

_What will he say? He will be disappointed.. Sad.. He will hate me.. Ibi-sama.. _Iruka shakes his head to clear it – not the right time to be depressed.

"Calm down – why?" Hatake asks before Genma can even open his mouth.

"To accept my death, of course. Did you think I will flee my village?" he can see it in his eye – the lonely gray eye – that it's exactly what he thought. "I would never.. never ever betray Konoha! No matter what you say, or what whoever says, I am a citizen of Hidden Leaf and as like I will die!"

_And that will happen much sooner than I thought it would.. And in another way than I hoped for.. I hope they would at least let me take a mission – suicide mission – to die as a shinobi-in-action, instead of 'that poor sweetie teacher died 'cause of a bureaucratic mistake' way._

"I think I can understand that, however I am under orders to take you back."

"What about we promise we will both meet you here after our mission? You can always tell Hokage-sama Iruka went to organize the things he will leave after himself." Genma steps into the conversation once more and with a sour look.

"You are awfully reasonable, Shiranui." Kakashi eye-smiles.

"It sounds legit." Iruka smiles as well, but his smile looks much more honest than the copy-nin's.

"Let's say I agree to this, can I be sure you will come back Iruka-sensei?"

"Yes." Iruka looks him in his eyes, letting him read the honesty in them. He truly has no intentions of betraying. That's not what his sensei taught him.

"Alright."

"Thank you, Kakashi-san." Iruka lays his hand on the jounin's shoulder for a moment. He will die, but Kakashi has been a good almost-friend. "Thank you."

And then they leave.

* * *

><p>Kakashi turns his gaze upwards, watching the dark gray clouds. He sighs.<p>

"Such an interesting day.." he mumbles and blindly reaches to pull out his book. He expertly flicks it open on the page he last read, however he doesn't start reading immediately.

"Seems like Pakkun won't find them after all.." the copy-nin looks back towards the gate. Not even his sharp eye can make their silhouettes trough mist surrounding the village anymore.

His hands move trough a blur of well-known signs and Kakashi feels his chakra moving, swirling and leaving his body. He feels cold for a moment, as if part of his own soul has been stolen from him, but the feeling doesn't last long.

With a 'poof' the warmth is back, as is Pakkun – back where he has appeared from.

"Eh, Tsunade will have a fit." Kakashi comments to the deserted street, the idea suddenly cheering him up. "Hope she won't throw her sake on me this time."

* * *

><p>4...<p>

3... 2...

And suddenly nothing.

Calmness. Stillness.

Not really.

Izumo can feel his friend's chakra reaching him with startling speed, moving the last steps, he is sure he would be able to see him, if he just took a step to left, so he makes it.

"..Kote-" he starts saying, but suddenly Kotetsu makes the last steps, jumps trough his friend's window and comes crashing into him unable to stop.

They fall to the floor heavily.

Izumo breaths out as his back connects with the ground and his arms moves up in instinct to protect his head. He, however, miscalculates their position and hits his friend's nose with his elbow, his movement still too fast to be dodged and too strong to be taken lightly.

The sickening crunch resonates trough his bedroom.

"Ooops." Izumo whispers and stifles the laugh that threatens to leave his mouth. "You alive, Ko?" he asks silently between his badly suppressed giggles.

"Whyyyy!" Kotetsu moans in pain. "Why albays me!" He clutches his nose and feel his blood running in between his fingers. "See what you dib? My bloody bose bleebs!" he says trough his hands making his friend laugh harder.

"Yea, I can hear that, even." Izumo answers and moves to stand up, pulling Kotetsu with him.

Kotetsu lets out a stream of curses, rubbing his nose clean with the use of Izumo's shirt.

"Hey, watch that!" Izumo warns him and pushes him away from his clothing. "Well, if you can curse, you are alright." he laughs pushing the unresisting chuunin towards a chair to sit him down.

"I will go get you ice-pack on that, okay?"

Kotetsu nods. He feels quite content, now, for it could have ended much, much worse. After all, the nin-dog is save. And hopefully, Kakashi won't know what happened, at least until they are both far, far away.

* * *

><p><strong>I promise I read trough it three times, before posting, so if there are mistakes, kick me.<strong>

**My ability to write English doesn't cease to disapoint me.**

**So, yeah.. nice day.**

**Tomorrow (if I manage) you will read more about Ibiki (who happens to be of my favourites) and some more about the past, for some of you (who even bothered to review) expresed their curiousity about something what was mentioned.**

**Smiiiile!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hullo :)**

* * *

><p>"The person responsible for the mistake is a newbie, Matsuri Shirone, he graduated academy at the age of 12, which is nothing unusual. His genin sensei was Sarutobi Asuma. Matsuri passed his chuunin exam three years ago, but was promoted just now, about one month back."<p>

"_About_?" Ibiki barks at his assistant, the purple haired jounin, who is sitting on his windowsill reciting from some papers messily laying on her lap.

Mitarashi Anko rolls her eyes: "Precisely 35 days ago."

"Why, please, was he promoted 35 days ago, when he actually passed two years and 360 days before?" Ibiki asks.

"Actually, it's two years and 163 days ago."

"That's not three years, Mitarashi."

"No, it's not."

Ibiki moves the papers on his already organized table, so that they lay perfectly over each other. Not like he needs to have everything perfect, but he likes to have things organized. And it steadies his nerves.

"Do continue, please."

"Just 'cause you asked so nicely." Anko answers cheekily and dodges the pen that almost pierced her left eye.

"He and his team, which were two fresh chuunin, one genin and Asuma, were supposed to do a mission." Anko stands up and lays her paper on Ibiki's table, pacing around his office. She already has all the information memorized, so she won't need the papers.

"However?" Ibiki asks with a raised eyebrow. He watches the papers Anko has left there, putting them on fire with a simple fire jutsu – the only fire jutsu he can do. It's not his element, after all, but he insisted on learning at least one jutsu of every element, to be able to confuse his enemy.

"However, 'cause there always _is_ some, because of some emergency – very _interesting_ emergency, which is under the highest degree of classification - the village was short on jounin, so the team had to run the mission without Asuma." Anko says slyly, making sure the interrogation specialist is aware she will be able to tell him everything about the _situation._ She absently watches the papers being consumed by fire, so that dark ash is the only evidence she went trough these kind of information.

"So they went alone. That's not _that_ unusual, so I have to ask: What went wrong?" Ibiki urges her to continue.

"Of course, Morino-san. Of course. The mission was relatively simple, they were supposed to capture a missing-nin, who was endangering the borders. He was a traitor from a Village hidden in Clouds, however the whole reason was unknown to us."

"That's not unusual either."

"No, however, what is unusual is, that the leader of the village – they call him shogun – decided that the man was not supposed to be a missing-nin, even though _he _was the one who asked our assistance with the matter. And, what more, he kinda didn't see necessary to inform us about his decision."

Ibiki sighs, for he can know where that leads them. "He killed the team."

Anko nods. "Yes. One of them was dead immediately, however the two managed to use a transporting jutsu and fled towards Konoha. They arrived alive, but heavily wounded, with the corpse. And while Matsuri's wounds were not mortal, his team-mate died the next night in the hospital. Matsuri broke. He spent three weeks in the hospital and then was put under investigation of the events, because two dead after a C-mission is suspicious, and he didn't handle the pressure."

"I am not surprised, what was he, fifteen? Kid shouldn't be investigated only three weeks after he lost his team-mates." Ibiki muses, the time had to be really stressful, because that's not the normal procedure.

"Yeah, well.. he was the _captain_, as well, 'cause he got the better score of those two chuunin. They were under his command." Anko adds.

"So what happened next? Prison, of Psych-ward?"

"Both, actually. They left him – precisely.. 57 days ago. He had to go trough all sorts of tests, before he was again officially promoted to chuunin."

"And he immediately screwed."

"Yes."

* * *

><p>"Hokage-sama. Yo!" Kakashi greets his leader cheerfully from his position behind her. He watches with a carefully hidden grin as she jumps from her chair.<p>

"HATAKE!" Tsunade screams and points at him in a good impression of Naruto.

"I was, when I last looked." Kakashi informs her kindly.

"The door, idiot. The door – you know what a _door_ is?" the hokage asks furiously and sits back down, shooing the copy-nin in front of her table.

"Yes, I do." Kakashi nods, wondering whether he should taunt her even more. He shrugs, it doesn't matter, she will want to strangle him anyway, so.. "It's an.. object, used by the lower-ranks and lazy-shinobi as an entrance. Something like the window, but much more useless."

Tsunade sighs. _That's not getting us anywhere_. "So, where did you put the chuunin? I don't see him." the hokage asks calmly.

_Eh, how to put it.. the best would be saying it shortly, but still tactfully.. _

"Maa.. I let him go."

"WHAT!"

* * *

><p><strong>Yes. Finished for today - seems like even with the work I have to get done (due my graduating and applying for university) and being a bit under the weather, I am slowly getting back into the "wake up, have a coffee, take a walk, write, try to eliminate mistakes" kind of morning. It feels nice.<strong>

**Smile - I found out, is one of the most important things. So do something for me - smile at three unknown people you pass on the street. Maybe you will even get a smile back :)**


	12. Chapter 12

**Sometimes it feels as if I am writting this just for myself. I will continue, because I am curious about the story. I don't know how will it end. I am sure everyone think Iruka will survive :) I am not sure about that. :D**

**Well, I am going to continue, unless someone tells me to stop. So am going to spam the . Hehe.**

**Listening to Halfling, Fall of Troy and Babylon by Pandemoniumfromamerika.. aka the most insane music I have ever had the luck to hear.**

* * *

><p>"What are you doing?" Anko asks curiously, watching her superior go trough a folder of old reports.<p>

"That's what happened when I was still babysitting my brat-team." Ibiki answers absently, he learned – mostly from the said brat-team – how to concentrate on his task and still answer any question directed at him. After a _lot_ of slip-ups, however, he even learned how to _not_ answer some questions directed at him. But before he did, his brats had already learned most of the classified information anyway.

"Umino Iruka's team? Who were his team-mates?" the kunoichi asks. Before today, she didn't even know Ibiki _had_ a genin team.

"Yes. Umino Iruka, Hagane Kotetsu and Kamizuki Izumo. Nightmares, but _my_ nightmares."

"Is the _affair_, of whatever that is, anyhow connected to the problem at hand?" she couldn't phantom _how_ could anything what happened – if her information was right - 9 years ago be connected with _this_.

"No." Ibiki notices his subordinate raising her eyebrows and rolls his eyes, just so. "_But_, if we somehow manage to come up with something to help, they can use _that_ against him."

"I see.. and that will be bad."

"Not good."

"No, not good. How come? What happened?" Anko leans closer to read the report over his shoulders.

"I hate when someone do that." Ibiki informs her, before passing her the first two sites, he has already gone trough.

"Thankie!" she says cheerily, before freezing after reading the first line.

There, in a bold, blunt letters stands: Form 7B on serious safety transgression, article M-34/02.7 of department for under-age crimes.

"Seven B is for _betrayal_!" Anko exclaims. "There is _no way_ Iruka would betray Konoha!"

"Seven B is used for situation with a death-threat as well. As you should now M thirty four is article concerning the safety of Konoha citizien, subpart two-point-seven stands for an attack under mind-altering condition." Ibiki recites calmly – just cold facts, they don't concern him.

"So, shortly, what happened?" Anko asks, giving up reading trough those reports. There is no need to.

Ibiki sighs. It seems like a habit he has taken up recently. "Iruka started leaking Intent. He ended up almost killing Kotetsu."

Anko falls silent. She would like to know _why_ did Iruka snap, or how did it end, or if _that_ is the reason he can't be promoted to jounin. However, Ibiki won't answer that, and she actually doesn't have other reason to know, just her curiousity. So she won't try to get that information from the Interrogation specialist.

_I will just have to ask Ruka 'bout that._

"No. That's not _the_ reason Iruka can't promoted to jounin." Ibiki informs her, his voice still calm, but Anko can see the light amusement in his eyes. "And no – I am not giving you details."

Anko laughs. She didn't realize he can read her so well.

"And get back to work.."

* * *

><p>Izumo raises his eyes to his wall-clock – it's almost noon. It was three hours ago when Ibiki sent them a message Iruka was in trouble. <em>Again<em>. And that he will meet them soon, to tell them the details. They haven't heard from him since than.

"What'cha think happened?" Izumo muses out loud, disturbing the light sleep of his friend.

"Don't stress." Kotetsu mumbles. "Bibi-sama will tell us." he yawns not even bothering to cover his mouth.

"But what if it's serious? What if we could do something to help him, and instead we are sitting here.." Izumo says.

"Than lay down."

Izumo hisses in anger and Kotetsu raises his arms in a gesture of surrender. "Alright, alright. Ibiki is working on helping him, there is nothing we can do, he can't. And if he needed help, he would have told us."

Izumo frowns and sits down on his chair with a deep sigh. "I know that.. I wish there was something.."

Kotetsu runs his hand trough his hair watching his depressed friend. He doesn't like seeing his close ones so down.

"Well.. we can as well try and find him, you know – ask him what can we do for him." Kotetsu smile and is relieved to see an answering grin on his friend's face.

"That's right. And – of course, we won't even _try_ to get some information, right." Izumo says smugly.

"Of course not, we would never do _that_."

* * *

><p><strong>Tomorrow, we will have a look at Genma with Iruka (at least I hope) and someone unexpected. (I still am not sure who, but you can try and guess) :D<strong>

**Smile.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Just a short nothing for today. :) Hope you enjoy.**

**Aaand - my deepest and most sincere apologies, for I will not be able to submit anything on the morrow. There is this little event called Scientist's night, and I plan to enjoy it with friends :)**

* * *

><p>"What is the time?" Iruka asks looking at the sky where the clouds are still dark and threatening, but the rain has stopped half an hour ago. "I feel like a drowned cat." the chuunin mumbles and tries to wring his ponytail.<p>

"You look like that as well." Genma informs him in amusement. He feels no better, but that doesn't stop him from teasing. "And it's almost noon. If we manage to find some cover we can stop for now. It's going to rain again soon.."

Both of them look up and Iruka raises his hand to touch his scar – it's itching.

"How far are we?" the younger shinobi asks again. They have about month and half to get to their destination so there is no hurry.

"We are nearing the north marshes, I would like to be on their borders this evening, and it's about five hours from here. Three if we hurry."

"Then we shouldn't stop, until it's necessary. You brought a tent, so we don't have to worry about cover." Iruka muses and jumps right into the largest puddle around. The dirty water manages to hit Genma from head to toe.

"Geez, thanks, I always wanted to look like a mud-frog." the jounin comments and rubs the water from his eyes with an equally wet sleeve.

"I know." Iruka replies cheerfully not even stopping to look at his companion. He has a huge smile on his face. "That's why you are leading us trough the swamp, right?"

* * *

><p>"Will you use the guy's past to help Iruka?" Anko asks from the floor where she is going trough old reports, forms and questionnaires. "What are we looking for, anyway?"<p>

"I don't know, I will know when I see it. And no, probably not. There is no way how _that _will help. And if we wants to ruin the chuunin's life, we can as well do it later."

"Alright." Anko nods. She looks back at the paper she is holding. It's full of absolutely useless information on some kind of disguised kunai. Disguised as a jewel, which looks exactly like a kunai. Really elegant and stealthy.

Not.

"I was thinking.." Anko starts and Ibiki looks up from his own share of nonsence.

"Really? And how are you feeling?"

"Funny."

"Really? Maybe you should take a rest.." The sarcasm is barely noticeable, but still there.

"Yeah, yeah. Well.. Won't the fact Iruka is classified help us? Isn't being classified a sign you have the right to know more?"

"Not this kind, Iruka is classified because of his past, because most of that is not supposed to be known. He doesn't have the right to know anything." Ibiki informs her, not even bothering to ask how does she know about the classification.

"Well... can't we like – upgrade it?" she asks. "Like, I don't know, to say it's the _normal _kind or something?"

"No."

The answer is blunt enough to stop Anko from asking more questions. At least for a while.

"But it gave me an idea. Be a dear and bring me another folder from archives.. "

Anko stands up, haphazardly stacking her load on one pile. "Which one?"

Ibiki thinks for a moment – he has an extraordinary memory, so he can still remember almost every folder which went trough his hands. "The folders concerning missions should be separated from other documents, so ask the librarian to help you, start somewhere in the middle and continue to the newest ones – it's sorted by date. The folder should be blue, format A4, with signature MOR for Morioke. Dated somewhere around the may, seventeen years ago."

"There will be plenty of folders like this.." Anko points out, she really doesn't feel like going trough every single on of them.

"This one should be filled by Sarutobi-sama himself, concerning the death of Morioke Akane."

Anko nods trying to remember the name. She turns to leave the office, but is stopped by Ibiki, once again.

"And when you are there, find another one – that should be dated nine years ago, signature MOR, this time for myself, you will find it, there is just this one."

"As you wish."

* * *

><p><strong>Probably forgot to say this: some names are absolutely OC, cause i needed a bad guys (and stuff) and I cant really use existing shinobi for that... As much as I despise using OC characters, I didnt see any other way.. <strong>

**Thats it for today, **

**smiiile! :)**


	14. Chapter 14

**It's soooo short.. :) However, I wrote everything I needed :P**

**Enjoy, if you do.**

* * *

><p>Izumo raises his hand to knock on his friend's door, but the incredulous look Kotetsu is giving him freezes his movement.<p>

"What?" the younger chuunin asks curiously and little bit annoyed.

"Since when do you knock?" Kotetsu resorts and pushes around him opening the door and striding inside, as if he owned it. "And on Ruru's door, no more!" he sounds amused.

Izumo rolls his eyes and steps inside as well, sliding off his shoes unlike his friend. "You are going to get mud on his carpet, Ko."

"So? It's not like it _rains _outside.." Kotetsu stands to halt in the middle of Iruka's living room, realizing he can't feel the others chakra around.

"It does. And Ru's not home." Izumo points out and drives his hand trough his hair. He feels tired.

Kotetsu nods. "Aye. We will wait for him." he decides and makes himself comfortable on deep blue couch.

"Do me a favor and leave your shoes _there_." Izumo calmly says and silently makes his way to Iruka's bedroom, knowing that there is usually most likely to find some clue to what is bothering the sensei.

"Yes mum."

* * *

><p>Anko sneezes. Not the usual someone-is-talking-about-you sneeze, and not even the it's-spring-coming-and-I-may-have-caught-cold way, or the I-have-an-allergy way. No, she is perfectly sure it's because of that damned dust she sneezed.<p>

"Doesn't they clean it down here?" she mumbles to herself and takes another look around.

There are shelves. A lot of them.

And few more.

"Flying fish." she exclaims, when she notices the shear amount of _books_ around. And those _folders_. "How am I supposed to find anything?" For a moment she contemplates asking the librarian for help, for she already showed her the way. But she is so young. _How can anyone so young work in a place like this? And how can anyone entrust her something like this?_

"Back to work." she says out loud, letting her feet carry her around.

* * *

><p>"We should find some cave or something.." Genma informs his friend and stops to look around.<p>

"Aren't caves supposed to be somewhere in _mountains_?" Iruka asks with a raised eyebrow.

"..._or something_." Genma stresses.

"I see.. can't we just use the _tent_?" the sensei asks again. He looks up to watch the drops of rain falling steadily down.

At least until one of them ends it's travel in his eye.

"Tent won't protect us against kunai, Iruka." The jounin sighs and starts walking again, in the same direction. If they are lucky, they will find some cover soon.

Hopefully before they are both drenched _again_.

"You think someone will actually lurk around the swamps?" Iruka jogs to catch up on the older man, still smiling, even though the weather is horrible.

He likes rain.

"I would rather be _wet_, than _sorry_." Genma remarks.

He doesn't like rain.

But he despises enemies even more.

"Well, I am _both _right now.." Iruka mumbles under his breath, but keeps going.

* * *

><p>"Shizune." Tsunade calls to the silent office, knowing well her assistant is close enough to hear her.<p>

"Yes, Tsunade-sama?" The petite woman appears from behind the left door, holding a book and few papers to her chest.

"I need you to write and send a letter, for Umino Iruka and Shiranui Genma. Write them, they are to get back into the village. Immediately. There will be a court for Umino in two days." the Hokage informs her, looking down at an officially looking paper on her desk.

"No pardons. This is no longer about the chuunin."

* * *

><p>"So what did you find?" Kotetsu calls after his childhood friend. He has already slipped off his shoes and is sitting with his legs propped up on Iruka's coffee table.<p>

"Iruka didn't sleep here this night.." Izumo calls back. He looks around the large bedroom once again, noting the cup of coffee sitting inoccently on the windowsill. The window is open. Iruka's medical gear is on the floor. Right next to his favourite pair of short blades.

Izumo's breath hitches. _He left without his weapons. That's no good._

"What's wrong?" Izumo hears his friend calling after him, the older chuunin even standing up so that he can check up on what caused Izumo's chakra disturbance.

"Nothing. Wait there. We will wait for Ibiki-sama." Izumo orders and is actually surprised, when his friend agrees. The situation is serious. And there is nothing they can do, other than wait.

* * *

><p><strong>'s all for today, I will (hopefully) see you tomorrow. <strong>

**Smile.**


	15. Chapter 15

**I am not satisfied with the story. I donno why, but it doesn't feel _right_. I didn't give it everything, probably - the last part was weird. I hope this one is better.. Was in a better mood.. in good books of my muses. Met with Karoline, my muse. I hope it's good. I don't like when something is not the way it could have been.**

**And I know I am not a good writer, I can't use phrases, I can't play with words as much as I would like to. But _that_ part was awful.**

**Eh. Dear-diaring.**

**Kick me.**

**Listening to an interview of Elijah Wood, performed by Dom Monaghan. You know that one :)**

* * *

><p>"Do you know Anko-kun?" Genma asks lazily. He lays on his back on the left side of their little tent, enjoying the sleepy and comfortable moments. He can hear soft drumming of rain and he lets the sound lull him into half-awake state.<p>

"I can't say I know her, I can't even say I have ever really talked to her.." Iruka mumbles silently as not to disturb the peace.

Genma smirks. He knows Iruka's infamous avoid-the-question-no-jutsu. "Really?" he fakes surprise, "she told me you two are good friends."

"We are."

"You just said you don't know her." Genma points out with a grin. He is slowly starting to understand how Iruka's mind works.

"I didn't. I said I can't say it." Iruka smiles and the jounin laughs.

"I thought so." he tells the sensei. "Why are you classified?"

"I am not classified." Iruka answers calmly. "You think I am 'cause of the report, I know.." the sensei says quickly, because Genma was opening his mouth to say something. "But what you don't know, is, that it was just a mistake. I have a special record on my little self, 'cause I was a student of Ibi-sama and he _is_ classified." Iruka explains.

"A lot of jounin teachers are classified. Mine was as well. And I don't have any special sign next to my name." Genma points out, not really believing the explanation. _But it can't be a lie. Iruka doesn't lie. He _does_ say only part of the truth, but he still says the truth. That's how he works._

"You know Iruka.. I am supposed to be a good _psychologist-amateur._ It's my job. I have to be able to look at a person and _understand_ him. Or her, of course. That's what _my_ sensei – taicho – taught me." the tokubetsu jounin explains slowly. His voice is hesitant, he weights every word before he says it out loud. This is important.

Iruka nods to urge him to continue and Genma does.

"It's who I am, I do not have breaks, I work all the time – listening to gossip, analysing, watching, listening, _eavesdropping_, even. It's what I do, and I am good at it."

Iruka rolls over to watch the jounin's face, listening intently.

"However -" because there always _is_ some however, "I couldn't read _you_, when I met you. That's why I didn't like Morino, I still don't." Genma smiles softly when he sees the young sensei frowning. "I can't read him, and he taught you well. I can't read Hagane and neither Kamizuki very well, but at least _somehow_. I can't read you, though."

"You don't have to, you know.." Iruka tells him. "You can always _ask_. Whatever it is you want to know."

"Why are you classified, Iruka?"

"I told you, I am not."

"I was watching you. For a long time, actually. And I can see you don't like to lie. So you avoid it. You can't lie. You just share half-truths, but never – never lie. Just like now."

Iruka sighs and turns his eyes back up. "Ibi-sama was once under investigation. After _something_ happened. I can't tell you what – I don't _know_. But we were his genin, and the higher-ups thought we are somehow _connected_. We all have those little black points next to our names because of that."

"Do you?"

"Yes."

Genma lays silent, thinking about what he heard.

"I think you are lying, Iruka." Genma smirks and Iruka chuckles.

"I don't _do_ lies, Genma-san." the sensei answer softly. "You said that yourself."

"I was wrong. You lied."

"No, I didn't. I told you the truth."

"I don't doubt that. You told me something what really happened, but you _are_ classified, and you are classified for some reason. _What _is the reason, Iruka?"

Iruka doesn't answer right away. He has a far-away look in his eyes, the always present light dimmed. He sighs and closes his eyes.

"I told you-"

"You lied."

"I didn-"

"You did."

"No! I wa-"

"You lied."

Iruka sighs again. He doesn't know how to explain.

"My parents are – were, refugees. Loyal to Konoha, but mother was a missing-nin in her village. They left, both of them – I was two years old. Konoha was supposed to send them – us, back. Send us to die. Sarutobi-sama let us stay. But we were watched. At least until I was twelve and my mom died protecting the children of the village."

"That's why you are classified..." Genma breaths out, stunned. That's not what he expected.

Iruka nods. "And 'cause I killed an ANBU, at the age of seven."

Genma's eyes widen comically and he gapes for a moment. "What?"

Iruka chuckles. The jounin was so funny.

"B-but, but you said it was 'cause of your sensei, and – and – " the special jounin has troubles talking straight.

"I lied."

* * *

><p>"We can use this." Ibiki says calmly, packing the two folders into his bag. He looks up at the clock, it's two pm and he still have some time. The court is the day after tomorrow, at five pm.<p>

"So there's still some hope?" Anko asks with a smile which the specialist doesn't return.

"Some. Little. We have nothing more than this. And an old paper requesting Iruka's transfer into Intel. Blank. Without signatures."

"So it's up to the judge?"

"Yes. There's nothing more we can do.."

Anko frowns. That doesn't sound very hopeful. The sigh coming from her superior interrupt her musing.

"I am going to find my brats." he informs her standing up and straightening his back.

"Izumo and Kotetsu?" Anko asks just to make sure. The interrogation specialist nods.

"I may have an idea.." the woman smiles immediately catching Ibiki's attention. He raises his eyebrow.

"How old is the transfer request?"

"Dated October ten years ago. Where are you going with this?"

"It's supposed to have your and Hokage's signature, right? 'Cause Intel's your section, and as the one accepting Iruka, you are the one to sign it. And as his representative – 'cause his parents were dead and you were his sensei – you are as well the one who can confirm it."

Ibiki nods. He still doesn't get where is the crazy woman going with it.

"So you can sign it right now, right? 'Cause it's not important, whether you signed it back then or not. The report is only for you, so _you_ are the only one who can raise an objection. So technically, Iruka is one of the Intel. So he _does_ have the right to know Shiranui's status." Anko smiles victoriously.

"Sounds great, great idea, really, Anko, but there is _this_ little problem." Ibiki sighs rubbing the bridge of his nose. He feels a headache coming.

"What is that?"

"The report has to be signed by the Hokage. By _Sarutobi-sama._"

"That's why I thought about it right now. Think about this: who is the best to falsify a signature?"

Ibiki actually smiles for a moment. "Kotetsu."

"Yes. Who is right now here, in the village, just waiting for you to ask him to do something, because he wants to help his friend?"

"Kotetsu."

"Yes! And who does have personal letters with Sarutobi-sama's signature in it at home?"

"Iruka-brat, of course."

"And who is the only one who can go trough Iruka's traps to get said letters?"

"Izumo."

"And who is here, in the village, waiting eagerly to help as well?"

"He is."

"See? Was _that_ so difficult?" Anko grins her own wicked grin and opens the door to let her superior leave.

They have exactly two chuunin to find, and Anko has a feeling they will find them together.

* * *

><p><strong>It's getting less dangerous, right? :) That's okay. I can always make it more. After all.. people have the tendency to be evil.<strong>

**"Mwhahahaha" is probably the right thing to say right now. **

**Keep smiling at people around yourself.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Eh.. Hello? :) I know I was supposed to do _this_ about month ago, but... **

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><p><em>"She wants us to <em>what_?" Iruka jumps from his laying position._

_ "To return home," Genma rolls the parchment and puts it into his pocket._

_ "You want me to _what_?" Kotetsu repeats Iruka's statement, but stays sitting._

_ "Just a little help for friend." Ibiki smirks watching his two gaping ex-students._

_ "Well.. yeah, but.. she wants my _death_.. _Why_ does she want us back?" Iruka whines loudly making his friend laugh._

_ "Things change." Genma answers with determination._

_ "Yeah, I got _that_. But _you_ was the one who told me _never_ to do something like _that_, unless I want to be hung by my ears from the window of your apartment." Kotetsu answers rather loudly and points an accusing finger at his mentor._

_ "Things change." Ibiki says amused. He loves heckling his brats._

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><p>"The days after that were rather... blurred, if I have to be honest." Iruka smiles up at his companion and brings his glass to his mouth, tentatively sipping the burning liquid. He thinks it's more alcoholic than anyone would suppose a <em>teacher<em> to drink.

He doesn't mind – he holds his alcohol good.

All over his mind, just like he wants it.

"You don't have to be honest. I am neither." Kakashi points out running his fingers all over his own glass, probably too afraid of taking his mask down in front of _Ibiki's brat_, Iruka thinks and smiles happily.

It's nice making people uncomfortable, and yet keeping his innocent-sensei mask on.

"Well yes. But I _know_ when you are dishonest. However, you don't know when _I _am." Iruka smiles sweetly watching the frown lines appear on the copy-nin's forehead.

He can almost hear the man's thought. _Is this supposed to be an innocent enough observation, or is the sensei making fun of me?_ Or something like that.

Or not – Iruka thinks, as Kakashi silently toasts him and downs his glass in one go.

And Iruka doesn't think he saw him pulling his mask down. Does that mean the jounin is even faster than he had thought? Or did he drink it _trough_?

Iruka laughs and decides he doesn't care.

"I am alive." He says out loud, still not fully comprehending how it happened.

One minute he thought they would grant his wish for a suicide mission, the next one he was furious, because the idiot of a jounin Shiranui decided to go with him, to make it _less-suicidal_ mission, and then – boom, Ibi-sama stood up.

_"You little brat, they aren't going to give you a _death sentence_." Iruka swore he could _hear_ him rolling his eyes and _see_ clearly on the politicians' faces the question 'we aren't?' even from the distance._

_ He didn't trust himself to speak just yet, so he just raised his eyebrow._

_ "'Course they aren't." Ibi-sama told him _kindly_, which made him look around, because for sure fish were flying somewhere. "Why should they?" He asked and Iruka knows his sensei good enough he would play his games, even though he had no cards, and knew no rules._

_ That was why he said: "I _know_ they don't.. but.. still.. they said they will, even though they _have _to know that there's just _no _reason_._"_

_ Iruka saw Ibiki's mouth twitch in a proud smile and knew he had done the thing he was supposed to._

_ "I don't think they do. After all, I made it a _secret_, you are an intell.."_

Iruka chuckles darkly. He almost passed from the shock. Him – an intell! Such a joke.

At least it's _still_ a secret, less than twenty people know.

"Yes, Iruka-sensei, you are alive!" Kakashi agrees with his trademark smile. "Let's drink to that!"

"To me living? I shouldn't be getting _drunk_ just 'cause I'm alive." Iruka chuckles again. "Ibi-sama would kill me."

Curse the intell. He will somehow manage – he survived being Anko's training partner, which was more like _punching-bag_, he survived teaching little brats, he survived his sensei's training methods, he survived his team-mates _good_ ideas, he will survive being an intell-worker.

It could, even, be fun.

With Anko as a colleage, Ibi-sama as a superior, Genma-san as an annoying neighbour - 'cause Ibi-sama decided he needed to leave his _little_ flat - Kakashi-san as an awkward friend and with Izumo and Kotetsu as everything _else_.

Yeah.. It _will_ be fun.

"Let's toast to _friends_, instead."

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><p><strong>That's an end. Everything has one.<strong>

**I am glad - I am not the right person to be witting _long_ stories, although it _did_ help me with my English.**

**I don't think I am _responsible _enough, and _lazy_ just too much.**

**Thank you for reading\enjoying the story, it makes me happy :)**

**Smile!, **

**Sharine.**


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